Bombardier signs Ukrainian locomotive MoU

UKRAINIAN Railways (UZ) and Bombardier have pledged to explore the possibility of jointly producing locomotives in Ukraine under a memorandum of understanding which was signed in Kiev on July 11 by UZ chairman Mr Wojciech Balczun, Bombardier director of business development Mr Flavio Canetti, and Mr Erwin Gerber, head of the company's locomotives business unit, in the presence of Canadian minister of international trade Mrs Chrystia Freeland, and Ukrainian infrastrcuture minister Mr Volodymyr Omelyan.

The MoU was signed as part of Canadian prime minister Mr Justin Trudeau's state to Ukraine, which also saw the signing of a free trade agreement between the two countries.

Under the MoU, Bombardier and UZ will explore various forms of cooperation, including the possibility of establishing a joint venture in Ukraine to assemble locomotives.

"The signing of this memorandum is the start of a new chapter for UZ," says Omelyan. "This is a great opportunity for Ukraine to make a breakthrough in railway modernisation and show foreign investors that Ukraine can and should invest in technology."